1. Metonymy and Synecdoche What the heck is the difference?

2. Metonymy and Synecdoche Very similar rhetorical devices and are often confused A better way to think of it? Synecdoche is a special type of metonymy Metonymy is when one thing—usually an object or a place—is used to represent a larger or more abstract concept – “the press” refers to journalists

3. Metonymy and Synecdoche Synecdoche: Figure of speech in which a part is used for the whole or the whole for the part – Hollywood: one part of the film industry; when I say I work in Hollywood, I mean the film industry, not just places located in Hollywood – Lend a hand

4. Metonymy and Synecdoche Metonymy becomes synecdoche when the representative thing is usually a part of the larger thing it is representing Any example of synecdoche is an example of metonymy but only some examples of metonymy are synecdoche You need to be able to distinguish them on the AP exam; expect at least one question asking you to identify an example on the test

5. When it comes to essays… You probably won’t need to refer to metonymy or synecdoche on the essay portion of the test. Most authors use these devices casually, not in a way that is significant enough to analyze Exception: If metonymy is used over and over, then it might reflect a theoretical element of the piece.

6. To sum it up! With these terms, your focus should be on distinguishing them in writing, rather than on writing about them!